Last year, from May to August, 28 Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets from the University of Richmond Spider Battalion gathered beneath the sun at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for an intense 35-day summer training program. Here, the performance — GPA, physical fitness, and leadership — of about 5,000 cadets is evaluated, ultimately determining their placement on the national order of merit list and determining their future prospects within the U.S. Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard across its 17 branches.

It’s a pivotal moment that marks the climax of a cadet’s junior year, and one they’ve spent years preparing for.

“You are tested constantly, so it can be a stressful experience, but overall, it’s very rewarding to see all of your training and hard work pay off,” said cadet Aidan Derby, a senior majoring in business administration. “The instructors in our program did a great job preparing all of us. I learned a lot and met tons of awesome cadets from schools around the country.”

The Army seeks to commission 5,000 to 5,500 new officers for entry-level positions each year, including platoon leaders and staff roles. The Richmond ROTC program plays a crucial role in this process, commissioning 25 second lieutenants each May. Since its establishment in 1951, the program has commissioned about 2,500 officers, with alumni currently serving in all ranks of the U.S. Army, from entry-level to a three-star lieutenant general.

“Everything we talk about and teach during their ROTC experience is giving these students the knowledge, skills, and attributes to walk into any job after they commission and be successful platoon leaders or staff officers in whatever branch they’ve been selected to serve in,” said Lt. Col. Jake Turner, professor of military science and head of the Richmond ROTC program since August 2023.

The Spider Battalion is comprised of 165 cadets. The University of Richmond is the host university, and partner institutions, including Virginia Commonwealth University, Longwood University, Randolph-Macon College, Hampden-Sydney College, and Virginia Union University, feed into the program.

During the school year, cadets from the six schools take military classes and participate in a weekly leadership lab that reinforces their classroom learning through practical exercises such as land navigation, tactical operations, field maneuvers, and weapon handling — all important skills assessed during summer training at Fort Knox.

Knowing how to balance a demanding schedule is essential for these cadets. In addition to their military classes and lab, they juggle undergraduate coursework, early morning physical training, and various evening and weekend extracurricular activities and fundraising opportunities.

“ROTC is a significant time commitment at times, especially as a senior when you are in charge of running training events with your peers,” said cadet Matt Pisani, a senior majoring in business administration. “Balancing school is just part of the commitment, and it takes time during the first semester in the program to realize what works for each cadet.”

In 2024, Turner and the cadets led an initiative that helped the students better manage their demanding schedules. Scholarship students, those who receive financial support in exchange for a future service obligation, would be given priority registration. Most of UR’s cadets are currently on scholarship.

Turner is also advocating to establish a military science minor at UR. If approved, cadets will earn a minor upon completing the required 18 hours of military science courses and a required history course.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about student support and how we are not only setting our cadets up for success in the Army but also for success in life,” Turner said.

It’s something Pisani feels the ROTC and the University do well.

“I went from being a shy introvert in high school to being president of the Finance Society, founding president of Richmond Lifting Club, and serving as head growth fund manager on the Student Managed Investment Fund,” Pisani said. “I have learned to be confident in myself and in my decision making.”